Constitution Hill is currently the 4/11 favourite to win the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival in March, a race that Honeysuckle won in 2021 and 2022.
However, after losing her sixteen-race unbeaten streak at Fairyhouse earlier this month, there are rumours circling she could be set for a run in the Mares Hurdle at the festival, leaving Constitution Hill the one to beat.
State Man has emerged as a contender after winning the Grade One Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown. However, Jake Russell, co-founder of TwoFromHome, a UK based Horse Racing platform with over four thousand followers, believes the race has a sewn-on winner. “Constitution Hill has only had the five career starts over hurdles and he finds himself the big odds-on favourite for one of the championship races at the festival. Out of his five hurdle runs, four have been in grade one company.
“He looks the full package, jumps well, travels strongly and he clearly likes Cheltenham, judging by his Supreme romp last season. He is the class act in the race and will be incredibly hard to stop” Russell said.
The five-year-old gelding, trained by Nicky Henderson, has won each of his races by considerable margins. The most impressive was his victory at Cheltenham in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, where he beat stablemate Jonbon by 22 lengths in the hands of Nico de Boinville. He has won his five races by an incredible average of 15.4 lengths, which is making him hard to oppose in the Champion Hurdle in March.
Constitution Hill’s most recent victories following victory in the Supreme have come at Newcastle and Kempton, where he beat stablemate Epatante by 12 and 17 lengths respectively. That must be respected, with Epatante being a previous Champion Hurdle winner back in 2020.
Despite being the obvious favourite, he may still have to beat Honeysuckle, who loves the course at Cheltenham. “She is a very backable price, although her fabulous unbeaten record was taken away from her last time out, she is still a dual Champion Hurdle winner, with a very valuable 7lb Mares allowance.
“She loves Cheltenham, it suits her down to the ground and if she’s up there with the leaders coming around the final bend, she will run her heart out up a hill she has won three times at.
“Her price is frankly scandalous, and I fully expect her to shorten nearer the time should she win between now and then, which will most likely be a run in the Irish Champion Hurdle” Russell added.
The only other contender for the race seems to be the Willie Mullins trained horse State Man, who was victorious last time out in the Matheson Hurdle, winning by four lengths over stablemate Vauban in second. His price of 4/1 currently has him at second favourite, ahead of Honeysuckle (5/1) and come Tuesday 14th March, the Champion Hurdle looks set to be a bumper of a contest.
2 horses to look out for at the festival
Russell has also picked out two horses to look out for at the festival, which gets underway on 14th March.
“Trainer Barry Connell doesn’t have too many top-class prospects, but he certainly does with Marine Nationale. A two-time winner in bumpers, he has been even better over obstacles this season.
“He was an easy winner at Punchestown in October, he then confirmed his class by stepping up to win the Grade One Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, a race that has thrown up some quality horses over the years. He only just scraped in by a nose, but he always looked like the winner staying on brilliantly to the line, something that will set him in good stead at Cheltenham.
“Although the favourite (Facile Vega) will be hard to beat, he represents some good each way value in the Supreme, a race they will be wanting him to run well in.”
The second horse that Russell has picked out is Mighty Potter, who will run in the Turner Novices Chase.
“Although an excellent horse as a hurdler, with a record of three wins in five starts, including two grade one’s, he looks an even better prospect over the larger obstacles. He made all on his chasing debut at Down Royal, he responded well to pull away and win by just under five lengths, making it an encouraging chase debut.
“He then confirmed the promise by winning the Grade One Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse, beating Gaillard Du Mesnil who has since won a grade one contest by seven lengths. Mighty Potter was excellent when winning, jumping well, travelling smoothly and really stuck his neck out when asked of. He responded nicely to then win by four lengths. A step up in trip might come shortly, but I feel he is tailor made for this contest at the festival.”
Jake Russell’s Cheltenham Festival NAP – Jonbon (Arkle) and Luccia (Mares Novice) 7/1 double
Jake has picked out his festival NAP, which pays out at 7/1 currently. First up is Jonbon, who will run in the Arkle Chase on Tuesday 14th March.
“Jonbon is an underrated horse. He was excellent as a novice hurdler last season, only beaten by Constitution Hill in the Supreme and he looks even better over fences. An easy debut at Warwick, he then confirmed the hype by winning the Grade One Henry VIII Novices Chase at Sandown, jumping like a proper professional to make all and win by eight lengths.
“Boothill was in behind that day, a horse that has since won a grade two race cosily, so the form stacks up nicely for Jonbon. He looks like he will only get better and better over fences.”
The second horse in Jake’s NAP is Luccia, who could run in the Mares Novice Hurdle on Thursday 16th March.
“Another Nicky Henderson horse to go into my NAP for the festival, a runner I think the world of. Luccia has got a lot of people talking at home and she is a very exciting prospect going forward. It’s touch and go whether she will actually go for this, but I think she is tailor made for the race.
“A two-time winner in bumpers, including a listed romp in the mud at Sandown, she will love the softer conditions should there be any. She was a cracking winner on hurdle debut, jumping well and travelling nicely. She led two out before responding to pressure to win by just under five lengths.“The Grade One Tolworth Hurdle is her next assignment, should she win that nicely then the Supreme could be in order, but the Mares Novice Hurdle looks a nice place to start for her Cheltenham Festival career.”
JG Writes 